SUNDAY SERVICES

STAFF

Eric McLemore, Pastor eric.mc01@yahoo.com

(731) 694-7341

Hunter Martin, Music Minister

hunterjmartin1@gmail.com (731) 819-6691

Nick Wilson, Youth Minister

nickwilson4004@gmail.com (731) 978-4537

Emily Glisson, Children’s Director

nbcmilan.childrens@gmail.com (731) 693-4359

Pamela Basham, Church Secretary

milannbcsecretary@gmail.com (731) 414-2187

Northside Baptist

Church, Milan, TN

nbcmilan.org

Sunday School

9:45 AM

Morning Worship

10:45 AM

Evening Worship

5:00 PM

WEDNESDAY SERVICES

Fellowship MeaL

5:30 PM -6:15 PM

Bible Study FOR ALL AGES

6:30 PM

Announcements will be made

about each opportunity

resuming—thank you for

your continued patience

Wow. What a year this has turned out to

be. I am sure that none of us would have

ever expected 2020 to turn out the way it

has but by God's grace we are continuing

on. Let me share with you a story that I will never forget and then let me share with you about a

couple things related to what things are going to look like once we are able to start returning back

to church.

The story I want to share with you is from when I was I believe eleven years old. My maternal

grandmother was very sick and near dying. She was a resident at NHC and had not been to church

in several months. One Sunday, her health and strength was well enough for my mother to pick

her up from NHC and bring her to church in Medina. I rode with my mother to go get her and on

the way to church my grandmother was so excited. When we got within about a mile of the church,

just over the tree line you could see the steeple of the church. As soon as my grandmother saw it

she started crying and shouting saying "Lord, I am finally coming home." That was the last time

my grandmother went to church and over the last few weeks I have thought about that moment a

lot and I have prayed for both my family, our church family, and Christians around our country,

that we would have the same desire within our hearts to gather with the body of Christ to worship

together rather than just be content with listening and participating online. May we all have that

desire and yearning within us.

Now, when the time comes that we deem it safe enough for us to return to church there are proba-

bly gonna have to be some things different for awhile till all of this calms down. Here are some

examples.

1.It has already been decided that we will moving the date of our VBS to later in the

summer and even then it will only be a one day VBS.

2. Even when we return back to in-person services, there are going to be those who

are still very cautious and might not attend for awhile. Be gracious to each other.

3. For awhile it is probably going to be difficult to provide such services as nursery

and children's church. We will have to phase these things in over time. Parents, I know

this will be difficult (especially at first) but God will give us grace. Those without chil-

dren, please do not grow frustrated with parents who are trying and looking around

the sanctuary to see which kid is getting restless. This will be an adjustment for all of

us. The nursery will still be open and cleaned after every service if a parent found it

necessary to take their child down there and stay with them or to change diapers,

etc... But please do not read this as since we are not providing children's church and

nursery that means that we do not want your kids here. We do and I am trying to be

positive about this and see this as an opportunity for children to observe from their

parents how to worship in church.

4. At least for awhile, a lot of things are going to be different and we will slowly be

phasing back in Sunday School, Wed nights, and other services, so please be patient

with us as none of us have ever had to make decisions like this before. I love you all.

May 10, 2020

She is clothed with

strength and dignity

and she laughs

without fear

of the future.

Proverbs 31:25

Birthdays & Anniversaries in May

Leah Mclemore –1st

Margaret Taylor –5th

Branden Garcia—8th

Avadean E.—10th

Cary Bedford –14th

Meagan Mullikin –19th

Jonah McGowan –26th

Nick & Kaci Wilson-26th

Eric & Leah Mclemore –

28th

Bobby & Pam Reasons-

30th

Senior pastor

Eric mclemore

Youth minister

Nick wilson

Children’s director

Emily glisson

Dear church family,

What a month this has been! While I was thinking about what to write in this newsletter, I

took some time to reflect back on what I’ve said in previous newsletters and remembered

my February letter where I talked about how busy these next few months were going to be

what with tax season, Easter, youth events, and everything in between. Boy, was I sure

wrong! It just proves the words of Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course,

but the Lord establishes their steps.”

As we prepare to start meeting again, we know we won’t be able to do the things exactly the

same as before, at least not for a while. We hear the term “new normal” being tossed around

and wonder what exactly that “new normal” will entail. But for God, there’s no such thing as

a “new normal.” He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and while He, Himself,

doesn’t change, He makes it His marvelous business to change the lives of His people.

I’m grateful that we live in a day and age where technology has allowed us to worship to-

gether virtually for the past few weeks, but I’ll be glad when we’re once more able to meet

together in the same room, hear each other’s voices, and join in worship to the King of Heav-

en. We have no plans to start back with choir practices any time soon and will likely not have

a choir immediately upon returning to church just to make sure we’re still doing our part to

keep the virus from spreading quickly. Until then, I pray everyone continues to stay well and

keep looking to Christ. I love you all and can’t wait to see you again (assuming we haven’t

started back meeting by the time you’re reading this)!

I miss you! This time away from one another seems like it has last-

ed forever. Satan will try to use this time to distract us from our

purpose as believers. He will try to use this time apart to make us

disconnect from one another, but we serve a God who is greater

than any trial or uncertainty that we face. Encourage one another

during this time apart and the days ahead. We may not be meeting

in the church building, but we are still the church. We are still one

body. Romans15:4-6 says, “For whatever was written in former days

was written for our instruction, that through endurance and

through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in

such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that

together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our

Lord Jesus Christ.” Praise God that He is the God of endurance and

encouragement. He is with us always, and He has blessed us with

one another. I love you all, and I can’t wait to worship with you

soon.

Worship minister

Hunter Martin

Hello! I am looking forward to the day that we will all be together again! It looks as

though that date is close now and I for one am excited. Of course we will still have to

abide by social distancing guidelines, so parents, please express to your kids the im-

portance of not being overly touchy with one another, and making sure to wash their

hands when possible. Once we start back to childrens church and the nursery opens

back up, we will be practicing these guidelines as well. Parents, if you or your child is

sick, we ask that you refrain from attending. This is no different from how we typically

operate.

With the guidelines and changes happening, we are looking into options for VBS this

year. Our VBS team feels strongly about hosting a VBS when it is safe to do so. It may

look a little different than in years past, but rest assured, that NBC will host our VBS in

some capacity this summer. With that being said, we still need volunteers. So if you

have not signed up to help with VBS, please make sure you do so on our Google form. A

link to the form is on our Facebook page, or you can text Miss Emily and she will send

the link directly to you. If you have already signed up, no need to sign up again.

We will also begin student registration in the next couple of weeks. This will give us an

understanding of our numbers and will allow us to set up VBS the safest way possi-

ble. So please be on the look out for that, and make sure to sign up your kiddos!

Remember to keep practicing our Easter musical selections. Once we are back to full ca-

pacity, we will perform this for the church!

I hope everyone has remained healthy and safe during this time. Please pray for us as

leaders as we move forward, making the best decisions to keep everyone healthy while

also leading you and our children spiritually. It’s a narrow road, and one none of us have

traveled, and one no one has traveled before us to help guide us. So we’re just trying to

keep things on track as best we can. We love you all, and if you need anything at all,

please don’t hesitate to reach out!